North Carolina Central has built a legacy of success under head coach Trei Oliver, but one persistent obstacle has dogged the Eagles’ quest for MEAC dominance: South Carolina State.
As these two storied programs prepare for another high-stakes collision this weekend, the pressure is palpable for Oliver’s squad to turn the tide in a rivalry that has often spelled heartbreak for NC Central.
Oliver enters the contest with a sterling 21-10 conference record since taking the reins as coach in 2019.
Yet, a glaring 1-4 record against South Carolina State stands in sharp contrast, raising the stakes for both the Eagles’ momentum and their championship ambitions this season.
NC Central on Friday night at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2 will look to avenge a 24-21 road loss last season to the Bulldogs that kept them from winning another conference championship.
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So, why has SC State been so successful against the Eagles over the years?
“Over the last 20 years, that’s been a storied program,” Oliver acknowledged this week, reflecting on the Bulldogs’ consistency. “They’ve had really good teams and really good players, and they’ve beaten a lot of people. That’s what good programs do. Unfortunately, they’ve had our number in some close, hard-fought games, but I take my hat off to them.”
South Carolina State — under second-year coach Chennis Berry — is currently 3-0 in conference play, tied for first place with a resurgent Delaware State.
Several of the recent meetings between the teams have come down to the final possession, with the Bulldogs repeatedly finding the answer in crunch time.
For NC Central, the matchup brings more than just another chance to pad the win column. With MEAC title implications on the line, the Eagles know the road to a trophy still runs through Orangeburg.
“We play this game to win championships,” Oliver said. “Records are nice, but it’s about who’s holding that trophy at the end. To win a championship in this league, you have to go through South Carolina State.”
Both teams bring battle-tested units, headline talent, and championship aspirations into Saturday’s showdown. As NC Central returns home with the memory of close losses looming, the script is set for another chapter in one of the conference’s most meaningful rivalries.
For Oliver and the Eagles, this is more than just a regular-season game — it’s an opportunity to finally solve the Bulldogs’ puzzle and cement their place once again atop the MEAC hierarchy.
